Environmental Toxicants Are Killing Your Testosterone

The cells in your body that make testosterone are under attack. And the attackers are chemicals you're exposed to every single day.

Your Leydig Cells Are Taking the Hit

A 2026 review in Cells pulled together evidence on what's destroying Leydig cells, the cells in the testes responsible for producing testosterone. The list of culprits is long: endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and plain old aging.

But here's the part that matters. These aren't separate problems. They all hit the same targets inside the cell: mitochondria, oxidative stress pathways, and the cell's own cleanup systems (autophagy and mitophagy).

How Chemical Exposure Shuts Down Testosterone

EDCs from plastics, pesticides, and household products damage the organelles that power testosterone production. When mitochondria break down, the cell can't convert cholesterol into testosterone anymore. The result is what researchers call "impaired steroidogenic capacity."

In some cases, the damage triggers premature cell aging. The Leydig cells stop dividing and start sending out inflammatory signals instead. That inflammation then damages neighboring cells too.

Why It Gets Worse With Age

Aging reshapes the entire testicular environment. Stem Leydig cells that would normally replace damaged ones lose their ability to regenerate. So the damage from chemical exposure compounds over time with fewer replacement cells available.

What You Can Do About It

The researchers point to exposure mitigation as a key strategy. That means reducing contact with EDCs in your daily life. Swap out plastic food storage, filter your water, and choose products without phthalates, BPA, or pesticide residues. Start with non-toxic home essentials to cut the biggest sources.

Also see non-toxic kitchen essentials for safer alternatives.

Source: Kaltsas et al. (2026). Cells.